Re: How do YOU use Nmap XML?

[Paul Johnston <paul () westpoint ltd uk>]

Hi,

We use the XML output when calling nmap as part of our automatic 
scanning system. The reasoning was that XML would probably be easier to 
process in a script. We're processing the results using Python and 
xmltramp and then posting them to a database. I don't particularly like 
the output format, in many ways the plain human-readable output is 
easier to process. But XML does avoid having to put special cases in the 
parser (e.g. "nnn ports are closed; rest are filtered", "all ports on 
nnn are filtered" etc.).

Regards,

Paul


Fyodor wrote:

> I am currently working on a chapter for the O'Reilly Nmap book which
> covers all of the Nmap output formats.  The normal, grepable, and even
> s|<riPt KidDi3 output formats are relatively straightforward.
> However, I believe that the XML output is under-utilized because many
> people fail to recognize the power of the format or don't understand
> all the tools for processing and transforming XML.  Even I'm in the
> latter category, though I'm working on it.
>
> Documenting Nmap XML well is a first step toward improving the
> situation.  So this is a call for suggestions to all you XML advocates
> out there.  In what ways do you use the Nmap XML output?  Do you parse
> it from within a higher level program, transform it to HTML with XSLT, use it to
> populate a database, use XPath to parse the results from the
> command-line in a way that is as easy as awk/sec/cut/etc. on the
> normal output, or something else entirely?  Any detailed description
> of how you use Nmap XML would be appreciated.  Sample code or
> command-lines would be handy as well.
>
> Thanks,
> Fyodor
>
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--
Paul Johnston
Internet Security Specialist
Westpoint Limited
Albion Wharf, 19 Albion Street,
Manchester, M1 5LN
England
Tel: +44 (0)161 237 1028
Fax: +44 (0)161 237 1031
email: paul () westpoint ltd uk
web: www.westpoint.ltd.uk


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